Waterproof sole and method of making same



y 3, 1934. c. J. FUTTERV ET AL 1,965,180

WATERPROOF SOLE AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed Sept. 29, 1930' Patented July 3, 1934 WATERPROOF SOLE AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Charles J. Futter and George W. Blair, Mishawaka, Ind., assignors to Mishawaka Rubber and Woolen Manufacturing Company, Mishawaka, Ind., a. corporation of Indiana Application September 29, 1930, Serial No. 485,058

15 Claims.

Our invention relates to improvements in the waterproofing of sole structures of leather shoes and the like as distinguished from those made in accordance with the rubber system, and has reference more particularly to soles wherein the waterproofing is accomplished by one or more layers of waterproofing material incorporated therein.

In waterproofing the soles of leather shoes and the like, layers of rubber have been used heretofore, such layers, however, being cured and because of this cured condition lacking the adaptability, in the making of the shoe and in the subsequent use thereof, to shape themselves to the particular situation in the shoe and the changing conditions thereof occurring during use so as to obtain and maintain a thorough sealing of the shoe against entrance of moisture. In our construction thorough and permanent sealing is accomplished, principally by the use of a layer of uncured rubber composition, which because of its plastic condition and the absence of the resiliency or tendency to maintain or spring back to the original shape which is acquired in vulcanization, not only shapes itself to the particular conditions and is forced into the interstices and openings in the shoe sole structure as the latter is made but during use of the shoe adapts itself to changing conditions and keeps the interstioes and openings filled in and sealed and thus insures permanent waterproofing.

The principal objects of our invention are to insure a thorough waterproofing of the shoe sole which not only will prevent penetration of water or moisture through the sole but will also eliminate any possibility of water or moisture entering through the stitching or nail holes or between the upper and outsole and into the shoe; to utilize a waterproofing material which readily adapts itself to the conditions of the particular shoe and changes in such conditions which occur as a result of use of the shoe sole and thus maintains a permanent sealing of the sole structure against leakage; to locate and arrange this waterproofing material so that it not only serves to provide a waterproof layer between the tread surface and inner sole but also at the same time seals the lasted edge of the upper and the stitching or nail openings through which moisture might otherwise penetrate into the shoe; and in Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a shoe with our improved waterproof sole structure and shows the toe portion of the shoe in longitudinal secion;

Fig. 2 is 'an enlarged cross sectional view of the shoe taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and showing the parts at one side separated, and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view of a modification of the structure shown in Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing, the reference numeral 1 indicates the shoe upper which is lasted in the usual manner over an insole 2, the latter preferably being provided on the underside, that is, the side opposite that which comes in contact with the foot, with a waterproof coating which in our present construction is a thin layer 3 of rag stock (rubber and ground up scrap fabric) calendered on a thin layer 4 of fabric which is cemented to the under surface of the insole 2.

After the upper has been lasted over the waterproofed side of the insole, a fairly thin layer 5 of uncured rubber is placed on the outer side of the shoe bottom so that it'covers the exposed portion of the composite insole and extends over the inturned edges 6 of the upper, the layer 5 over the exposed portion of the composite insole being pressed down thereagainst and the depression thus formed within the surrounding inturned edges 6 being filled in as at 7 with scrap fabric or similar material and leveled ofi in the usual manner preparatory to attachment of the outsole.

The outsole may be of any desired material and of unitary form or made up of several layers, the shoe illustrated herein having an outsole congposed of a middle sole 8 of leather and an outer sole 9 of rubber composition. This outsole may also be secured to the shoe in any desired manner as for example by stitching, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 or by nailing, as shown in Fig. 3.

In the stitched construction of Figs. 1 and 2, the middle sole 8 is placed over the filler '7 and the exposed edge portions of the uncured rubber layer 5 and stitched to the insole 2 and the inturned edge 6 of the upper, the stitches passing through the edge portions of the layer 5 so that the uncured rubber thereof is squeezed between the middle sole 8 and the inturned edges 6 so as to thoroughly seal the joint, and is also packed around the stitches and into the stitch openings. In this construction the outer sole 9 is preferably secured to the middle sole 8 by a line of stitches 11 around the edges, after the middle sole has been secured to the shoe and in this manner the lower ends of the stitches 10 are covered and protected against abrasive wear.

In the nailed construction of Fig. 3 the middle and outer soles 8 and 9 are secured together by a line of stitches 11 around the edges before attachment to the shoe after which the combined outsole 8-9 is attached by a series of nails 12 which pass through the entire outsole and the inturned edges 6 of the upper and the insole 2 and are clinched against the inner face of the latter in the usual manner. These nails also pass through the edge portions of the layer 5 and squeeze said edge portions of uncured rubber between the middle sole '7 and inturned edges 6 so as to seal the joint and fill any interstices or openings through which moisture might otherwise enter the shoe. Moreover, because of the somewhat plastic nature of uncured rubber and the confining of the larger portion of the layer 5 within the space surrounded by the stitches 10 or nails 12, the pressure of the foot on the insole 2 in using the shoe will cause the uncured rubber of the layer 5 to adapt itself to changing conditions of the sole structure, due to use and wear, and will keep the rubber packed between the lasted edge 6 and middle sole 8 and around the fastenings 10 or 12 at all times and thus maintain a permanent sealing of the shoe sole structure.

While we have shown and described our invention in a preferred form, we are aware that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the principles of our invention, the scope of which is to be determined by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a shoe of the class described, the combination of an insole having a waterproof composition on the bottom face thereof, an upper having its lower margin lasted over the waterproof composition face of said insole, a layer of uncured rubber on the bottom of said insole and extended outwardly to cover the bottom face of the lasted margin of the upper, a middle sole, a filler interposed between said middle sole and said layer of uncured rubber, fastening means passing I through said layer of uncured rubber and uniting said middle sole, upper and insole, and an outer sole fastened to said middle sole.

'2. In a shoe of the class described, the combination of an insole, an upper having its lower margin lasted over said insole, a layer of uncured rubber covering thebottom face of said insole within the lasted margin of the upper and extended outwardly to cover the bottom face of said lasted margin, a middle sole, a filler interposed between said middle sole and said layer of uncured rubber, stitches passing through said layer of uncured rubber and uniting said middle sole, upper and insole, and an outer sole stitched to said middle sole.

3. The method of making a shoe of the class described with waterproof sole, comprising lasting the lower margin of an upper over the bottom face of an insole, applying a sheet of uncured rubber to the outer face of the lasted portion of said upper and to the exposed portion of the bottom face of said insole, filling in and leveling off the shoe bottom, stitching a middle sole to the lasted portion of said upper and to said insole, and stitching an outer sole to said middle sole.

4. The method of making a shoe of the class described with waterproof sole, comprising lasting the lower margin of an upper over the bottom face of said insole, applying a sheet of uncured rubber to the outer face of the lasted margin of the upper and to the exposed portion of the bottom face of said insole, filling in and leveling off the bottom face of the assembled structure, stitching together a middle sole and an outersole and nailing the composite middle and outersole to said insole and the lasted portion of said upper and through said sheet of uncured rubber.

5. The method of making a shoe of the class described with a waterproof sole which comprises applying a rubber composition coating to the under side of an insole, lasting the margin of an upper over the rubber coated face of the insole, applying a layer of uncured rubber to the exposed portions of the insole and lasted margin of the upper, and then applying an outsole thereover and fastening same through the layer of uncured rubber and lasted margin of the upper to the insole.

6. In a shoe, the combination of a finished sole structure comprising an insole, an outsole, and an upper having its lower edge portion secured between portions of said insole and outsole in the form of a substantially flat joint, said insole and outsole being secured together by connecting means engaged through said marginal portion of the upper, and a layer like mass of plastic uncured rubber interposed between the insole and outsole and extending outwardly into and terminating within the joint.

'7. In a shoe, the combination of an insole, an outsole, an upper having a portion thereof along the lower edge lasted between the insole and outsole, fastening means engaged through the lasted edge portion of the upper and connecting the insole and outsole, and a layer of plastic uncured rubber having the outer edge thereof compressed between the insole and outsole and against the lasted portion of the upper.

8. In a shoe, the combination of an insole, an outsole, an upper having a portion thereof along the lower edge lasted between the insole and outsole, fastening means engaged through the lasted edge portion of the upper and connecting the insole and outsole, and a layer of plastic uncured rubber having the outer edge thereof clamped between the insole and outsole and against the bottom face of the lasted portion of the upper.

9. In a shoe, the combination of an insole, an outsole, an upper having a portion thereof along the lower edge lasted between the insole and outsole, fastening means engaged through the lasted edge portion of the upper and connecting the insole and outsole, and a layer of plastic uncured rubber having the outer edge portion thereof clamped between the insole and outsole and against the bottom face of thelasted portion of the upper, and said lasted portion of the upper and the outsole being substantially contiguous beyond and around the outer edge of the rubber layer.

10. In a shoe, the combination of an insole, an outsole, an upper having the lower edge portion thereof lasted between the marginal portions of the insole and outsole, fastening means extending around and engaged through the lasted edge portion of the upper and connecting the insole and outsole, and a layer of plastic uncured rubber having a substantially feathered outer edge portion clamped between outwardly convergent portions of the insole and outsole and lying against the lasted edge portion of the upper.

11. In a shoe of the class described, the combination of an insole, an upper having its lower margin lasted over said insole, a layer of uncured rubber on the bottom of said insole and extended outwardly onto the bottom face of the lasted margin .of the upper, an outsole, a filler interposed between said outsole and said layer of uncured rubber, and fastening means extending around and adjacent to the edge of said layer of uncured rubber and uniting said outsole, upper and insole with the marginal edge of the layer of uncured rubber clamped against the lasted portion of the upper.

12. The method of waterproofing the sole of a shoe having the lower edge portion of the upper lasted between an insole and outsole, which comprises interposing a layer of uncured rubber between the insole and outsole with its outer edge between the lasted edge portion of the upper and one of said soles, then applying insole and outsole connecting means through the lasted edge portion of the upper adjacent to the said edge of the rubber layer and clamping the said edge of the rubber layer between the insole and outsole and against the face of the lasted edge portion of the upper, and finishing the shoe with the layer of rubber maintained in the uncured condition.

13. The method of waterproofing the sole of a shoe having the lower edge portion of the upper lasted between an insole and an outsole, which comprises interposinga layer of uncured rubber between the insole and outsole, and applying insole and outsole connecting means through the lasted portion ofthe upper and clamping the outer edge portion of the rubber layer in an outwardly tapered form between outwardly convergent portions of the insole and outsole and against the face of the lasted portion of the upper.

14. The method of making a shoe of the class described with waterproof sole, which comprises lasting the lower margin of an upper "over the bottom face of an insole, apply a layer or uncured rubber to the outer face of the lasted portion of the upper and to the exposed portion of the bottom face of the insole, filling in and leveling off the shoe bottom, and connecting an outsole to the lasted portion of the upper and to the insole by engaging fastening means through the lasted edge of the upper, the insole and outsole.

15; A shoe comprising an insole; an upper having its edges turned under and mechanically secured to the edges of said insole; a coating of sealing material covering the bottom of said insole and bifurcated at the edges to embrace the in- 

